The present invention relates to the driving and guiding of a trailing edge flap in aircraft wings, particularly the trailing edge flap of a transsonic wing for commercial aircraft, whereby particularly the camber of the wing is to be changed during flight for improving aerodynamic effectiveness.
Basically, the camber change of an aircraft wing under utilization of a flap requires a combined load carrying and guiding rail system for the flap as well as an adjusting drive connected to that flap through suitable linkage. The protraction and retraction of wing flaps, such as the trailing edge flap is a field of long standing. These flaps serve as auxiliary high performance lifting device and become effective during landing and take-off. Here one employes a so-called rail kinematics by means of which the flaps are retracted and pro-tracted along a well defined path. During cruising these flaps are completely retracted such that they function as trailing edge completing structure for the wing, the are aerodynamically fully incorporated in the wing's contour.
German printed patent application No. 3,114,143 proposes optimization of cruising, particularly of commercial aircraft having transsonic wings, by means of changing the camber of the wing corresponding to the respective current flight condition as evidenced by weight, altitude, and velocity. The camber change is obtained, for example, by using the flap and spoiler system which, as stated, is normally used only during low velocity phases as well as during maneuvering but not during regular cruising.